Well Sainsburys, that went well,didnt it?

[Vicky Ayech]

Letter from CEO saying hour from 7-8
"we will set aside the first hour in every supermarket this Thursday
19th March, for elderly and vulnerable customers. I hope that you can
respect this decision and will work with us as we try our best to help
those that need it the most. If you or an elderly family member,
friend or neighbour would like to shop during this hour, please check
online for your local supermarket opening hours."

Went past at 7.30 and carpark so full some double parked. People
coming out with trolleys piled high. What a lot of elderly and
disabled in the area! I never thought the rest would respect it.

[steve hague]

Post by Vicky Ayech
Letter from CEO saying hour from 7-8
"we will set aside the first hour in every supermarket this Thursday
19th March, for elderly and vulnerable customers. I hope that you can
respect this decision and will work with us as we try our best to help
those that need it the most. If you or an elderly family member,
friend or neighbour would like to shop during this hour, please check
online for your local supermarket opening hours."
Went past at 7.30 and carpark so full some double parked. People
coming out with trolleys piled high. What a lot of elderly and
disabled in the area! I never thought the rest would respect it.

I was in Tesco yesterday morning at about 7.30 and saw an elderley man
(elderley being someone who looks older than me) with a shopping trolley
piled high, and I overheard his bill as £327. The elderly are just as
likely to abuse the system as anyone else.
Steve

[Vicky Ayech]

On Thu, 19 Mar 2020 10:21:22 +0000, steve hague

Post by steve hague

Post by Vicky Ayech
Letter from CEO saying hour from 7-8
"we will set aside the first hour in every supermarket this Thursday
19th March, for elderly and vulnerable customers. I hope that you can
respect this decision and will work with us as we try our best to help
those that need it the most. If you or an elderly family member,
friend or neighbour would like to shop during this hour, please check
online for your local supermarket opening hours."
Went past at 7.30 and carpark so full some double parked. People
coming out with trolleys piled high. What a lot of elderly and
disabled in the area! I never thought the rest would respect it.

I was in Tesco yesterday morning at about 7.30 and saw an elderley man
(elderley being someone who looks older than me) with a shopping trolley
piled high, and I overheard his bill as £327. The elderly are just as
likely to abuse the system as anyone else.
Steve

I suppose he could have been shopping for retirement flats, or several
OAP friends. It was just that I imagined the 7-8 would be nearly
empty with a few OAPs and disabled.

[carolet]

Post by steve hague

Post by Vicky Ayech
Letter from CEO saying hour from 7-8
"we will set aside the first hour in every supermarket this Thursday
19th March, for elderly and vulnerable customers. I hope that you can
respect this decision and will work with us as we try our best to help
those that need it the most. If you or an elderly family member,
friend or neighbour would like to shop during this hour, please check
online for your local supermarket opening hours."
Went past at 7.30 and carpark so full some double parked. People
coming out with trolleys piled high. What a lot of elderly and
disabled in the area! I never thought the rest would respect it.

I was in Tesco yesterday morning at about 7.30 and saw an elderley man
(elderley being someone who looks older than me) with a shopping trolley
piled high, and I overheard his bill as £327. The elderly are just as
likely to abuse the system as anyone else.
Steve

If the elderly think that they are supposed to stay locked away for 12
weeks as of this weekend, and they have nobody that they can rely on to
bring provisions, then I can understand that they want to stock up now.

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

[]

Post by carolet

Post by steve hague
I was in Tesco yesterday morning at about 7.30 and saw an elderley
man (elderley being someone who looks older than me) with a shopping
trolley piled high, and I overheard his bill as £327. The elderly are
just as likely to abuse the system as anyone else.
Steve

If the elderly think that they are supposed to stay locked away for 12
weeks as of this weekend, and they have nobody that they can rely on to
bring provisions, then I can understand that they want to stock up now.

Indeed. And even the rest of us (I'll only be 60 next month, but even
those much younger than me), if they think they might need to
self-immolate (deliberate) for some weeks, especially if they think the
NHS will be broken and if they've been reading about online delivery
slots all being taken for weeks ahead, might well want to stock up,
meaning they have a few weeks' supplies in. Whether you call that
abusing the system is up to you, but I think it's understandable. Would
have been less so if the future situation was clearer, but it isn't.
(Because nobody _knows_ what's going to happen - of any political
flavour.)
A concern is the continuity of the electricity supply - without which a
lot of what's in freezers will be lost. I _hope_ things won't get that
bad.

[Nick Odell]

On Fri, 20 Mar 2020 03:38:54 +0000, "J. P. Gilliver (John)"
<***@255soft.uk> wrote:

<snip>

Post by J. P. Gilliver (John)
A concern is the continuity of the electricity supply - without which a
lot of what's in freezers will be lost. I _hope_ things won't get that
bad.

Most of what I have in the freezer is of little consequence. My main
stock of "fresh" fruit and veg is dried, salted or, in the main,
bottled. Not that it is a lot of use to me some 12,000km away right
now.

If you are worried about your freezer stock going rotten in the event
of a power cut, learn how to preserve stuff - before the internet goes
down as well.

Many years ago, my freezer failed. A quick back of the envelope
calculation determined that an emergency repair call-out would cost
more than the contents were worth so I gave away the less easy to
conserve items to neighbours and stayed up all night with pans
steaming on the stove and trays baking in the oven and by morning I
had the lot fit to keep until I wanted to use it.

Nick

[Chris J Dixon]

Post by Nick Odell
If you are worried about your freezer stock going rotten in the event
of a power cut, learn how to preserve stuff - before the internet goes
down as well.
Many years ago, my freezer failed. A quick back of the envelope
calculation determined that an emergency repair call-out would cost
more than the contents were worth so I gave away the less easy to
conserve items to neighbours and stayed up all night with pans
steaming on the stove and trays baking in the oven and by morning I
had the lot fit to keep until I wanted to use it.

That's not quite how we use our freezer - the majority of the
contents are meals, soups, sorbet, all home-made by
batch-cooking. We have already done the "slaving over a hot
stove" bit (apart form the sorbet, obviously).

Chris

[Mike]

Post by Chris J Dixon

Post by Nick Odell
If you are worried about your freezer stock going rotten in the event
of a power cut, learn how to preserve stuff - before the internet goes
down as well.
Many years ago, my freezer failed. A quick back of the envelope
calculation determined that an emergency repair call-out would cost
more than the contents were worth so I gave away the less easy to
conserve items to neighbours and stayed up all night with pans
steaming on the stove and trays baking in the oven and by morning I
had the lot fit to keep until I wanted to use it.

That's not quite how we use our freezer - the majority of the
contents are meals, soups, sorbet, all home-made by
batch-cooking. We have already done the "slaving over a hot
stove" bit (apart form the sorbet, obviously).
Chris

‘Shivvering over a sorbet’?

[Sam Plusnet]

Post by Mike

Post by Chris J Dixon

Post by Nick Odell
If you are worried about your freezer stock going rotten in the event
of a power cut, learn how to preserve stuff - before the internet goes
down as well.
Many years ago, my freezer failed. A quick back of the envelope
calculation determined that an emergency repair call-out would cost
more than the contents were worth so I gave away the less easy to
conserve items to neighbours and stayed up all night with pans
steaming on the stove and trays baking in the oven and by morning I
had the lot fit to keep until I wanted to use it.

That's not quite how we use our freezer - the majority of the
contents are meals, soups, sorbet, all home-made by
batch-cooking. We have already done the "slaving over a hot
stove" bit (apart form the sorbet, obviously).
Chris

‘Shivvering over a sorbet’?

That makes a fine Pirate curse[1].

"Well shiver me sorbets!"

[1] Films about pirates had to include lots of swearing - but they
obviously couldn't use _real_ swear words so...

[Penny]

On Sat, 21 Mar 2020 10:11:20 +0000, Chris J Dixon <***@cdixon.me.uk>
scrawled in the dust...

Post by Chris J Dixon
That's not quite how we use our freezer - the majority of the
contents are meals, soups, sorbet, all home-made by
batch-cooking. We have already done the "slaving over a hot
stove" bit (apart form the sorbet, obviously).

On one of my last shopping trips before things went completely barmy I
bought what turned out to be a very disappointing pineapple. It may have
been over-ripe, it was flavourless in some areas but quite sharp in others.

I stripped off the skin, cut out the core, chopped it up and pulped it in a
food processor. It tasted ok so I added a similar volume of sugar syrup and
some lemon juice and froze it. So pineapple granita is now one of my
5-a-day*. I do have other fruit in the freezer from last summer's gluts
which I probably should start eating to make room for more batch-made meals
when I get that eTsco devilry d#2 booked.

*well, usually 3, seldom manage more unless marmalade counts.

[Sam Plusnet]

Post by J. P. Gilliver (John)
[]

Post by carolet

Post by steve hague
I was in Tesco yesterday morning at about 7.30 and saw an elderley
man  (elderley being someone who looks older than me) with a shopping
trolley  piled high, and I overheard his bill as £327. The elderly
are just as  likely to abuse the system as anyone else.
Steve

If the elderly think that they are supposed to stay locked away for 12
weeks as of this weekend, and they have nobody that they can rely on
to bring provisions, then I can understand that they want to stock up
now.

Indeed. And even the rest of us (I'll only be 60 next month, but even
those much younger than me), if they think they might need to
self-immolate (deliberate) for some weeks, especially if they think the
NHS will be broken and if they've been reading about online delivery
slots all being taken for weeks ahead, might well want to stock up,
meaning they have a few weeks' supplies in.

Perhaps some people will try to get infected on purpose.
If your symptoms are minor - get it over & done with.
If you become more seriously ill - get NHS treatment now before the
whole system breaks down.

I'll stick with self-isolation.

[krw]

Post by carolet

Post by steve hague

Post by Vicky Ayech
Letter from CEO saying hour from 7-8
"we will set aside the first hour in every supermarket this Thursday
19th March, for elderly and vulnerable customers. I hope that you can
respect this decision and will work with us as we try our best to help
those that need it the most. If you or an elderly family member,
friend or neighbour would like to shop during this hour, please check
online for your local supermarket opening hours."
Went past at 7.30 and carpark so full some double parked. People
coming out with trolleys piled high. What a lot of elderly and
disabled in the area! I never thought the rest would respect it.

I was in Tesco yesterday morning at about 7.30 and saw an elderley man
(elderley being someone who looks older than me) with a shopping
trolley piled high, and I overheard his bill as £327. The elderly are
just as likely to abuse the system as anyone else.
Steve

If the elderly think that they are supposed to stay locked away for 12
weeks as of this weekend, and they have nobody that they can rely on to
bring provisions, then I can understand that they want to stock up now.

We have been prevented from taking the minibus to the shops on Monday as
apparently the risk is too high. Most of those using it are probably
unable to use the internet and anyway there are no slots left.

[Vicky Ayech]

Post by krw

Post by carolet

Post by steve hague

Post by Vicky Ayech
Letter from CEO saying hour from 7-8
"we will set aside the first hour in every supermarket this Thursday
19th March, for elderly and vulnerable customers. I hope that you can
respect this decision and will work with us as we try our best to help
those that need it the most. If you or an elderly family member,
friend or neighbour would like to shop during this hour, please check
online for your local supermarket opening hours."
Went past at 7.30 and carpark so full some double parked. People
coming out with trolleys piled high. What a lot of elderly and
disabled in the area! I never thought the rest would respect it.

I was in Tesco yesterday morning at about 7.30 and saw an elderley man
(elderley being someone who looks older than me) with a shopping
trolley piled high, and I overheard his bill as £327. The elderly are
just as likely to abuse the system as anyone else.
Steve

If the elderly think that they are supposed to stay locked away for 12
weeks as of this weekend, and they have nobody that they can rely on to
bring provisions, then I can understand that they want to stock up now.

We have been prevented from taking the minibus to the shops on Monday as
apparently the risk is too high. Most of those using it are probably
unable to use the internet and anyway there are no slots left.

Sainabusrys carpark was not quite as stuffed full at 7.45 today. I
suppose it was calming down after the early rush as the furthest
parking spaces were taken. There must be an awful lot of OAPs and
young people with disabilities around. Do they shop every day though,
big shops? Or will they all have got what they need in a day or two? I
didn't go in but did go into the co-op near the postbox I went to
later and there was no wrapped bread. The only bread they had was
bagettes, a bucket of fresh ones.

[Chris McMillan]

Post by carolet

Post by steve hague

Post by Vicky Ayech
Letter from CEO saying hour from 7-8
"we will set aside the first hour in every supermarket this Thursday
19th March, for elderly and vulnerable customers. I hope that you can
respect this decision and will work with us as we try our best to help
those that need it the most. If you or an elderly family member,
friend or neighbour would like to shop during this hour, please check
online for your local supermarket opening hours."
Went past at 7.30 and carpark so full some double parked. People
coming out with trolleys piled high. What a lot of elderly and
disabled in the area! I never thought the rest would respect it.

I was in Tesco yesterday morning at about 7.30 and saw an elderley man
(elderley being someone who looks older than me) with a shopping trolley
piled high, and I overheard his bill as £327. The elderly are just as
likely to abuse the system as anyone else.
Steve

If the elderly think that they are supposed to stay locked away for 12
weeks as of this weekend, and they have nobody that they can rely on to
bring provisions, then I can understand that they want to stock up now.

I can believe people refusing to bow to having to ask for help (obviously
that chap didn’t have a houseful of sliced bread) but at least one council,
Wokingham, is co-ordinating plans to feed those who are vulnerable.

Sincerely Chris

[Penny]

On Thu, 19 Mar 2020 10:21:22 +0000, steve hague <***@gmail.com>
scrawled in the dust...

Post by steve hague

Post by Vicky Ayech
Letter from CEO saying hour from 7-8
"we will set aside the first hour in every supermarket this Thursday
19th March, for elderly and vulnerable customers. I hope that you can
respect this decision and will work with us as we try our best to help
those that need it the most. If you or an elderly family member,
friend or neighbour would like to shop during this hour, please check
online for your local supermarket opening hours."
Went past at 7.30 and carpark so full some double parked. People
coming out with trolleys piled high. What a lot of elderly and
disabled in the area! I never thought the rest would respect it.

I was in Tesco yesterday morning at about 7.30 and saw an elderley man
(elderley being someone who looks older than me) with a shopping trolley
piled high, and I overheard his bill as £327. The elderly are just as
likely to abuse the system as anyone else.

I think that's understandable when we were told we were soon to be
quarantined for months.

[Mike]

Post by Penny
scrawled in the dust...

Post by steve hague

Post by Vicky Ayech
Letter from CEO saying hour from 7-8
"we will set aside the first hour in every supermarket this Thursday
19th March, for elderly and vulnerable customers. I hope that you can
respect this decision and will work with us as we try our best to help
those that need it the most. If you or an elderly family member,
friend or neighbour would like to shop during this hour, please check
online for your local supermarket opening hours."
Went past at 7.30 and carpark so full some double parked. People
coming out with trolleys piled high. What a lot of elderly and
disabled in the area! I never thought the rest would respect it.

I was in Tesco yesterday morning at about 7.30 and saw an elderley man
(elderley being someone who looks older than me) with a shopping trolley
piled high, and I overheard his bill as £327. The elderly are just as
likely to abuse the system as anyone else.

I think that's understandable when we were told we were soon to be
quarantined for months.

But I think incarceration on top of cancer of the prostate is a bit much,
(why am I speaking 2 octaves above normal these days? ) ;-)))

[Peter Withey]

On Thu, 19 Mar 2020 08:24:00 +0000, Vicky Ayech

Post by Vicky Ayech
Letter from CEO saying hour from 7-8
"we will set aside the first hour in every supermarket this Thursday
19th March, for elderly and vulnerable customers. I hope that you can
respect this decision and will work with us as we try our best to help
those that need it the most. If you or an elderly family member,
friend or neighbour would like to shop during this hour, please check
online for your local supermarket opening hours."
Went past at 7.30 and carpark so full some double parked. People
coming out with trolleys piled high. What a lot of elderly and
disabled in the area! I never thought the rest would respect it.

Wow! I was in Sainsbury, Colliers Wood, SW London when the
announcement came over the tannoy about the early start.

To get there at 7am would have meant getting up at 6 or earlier.
Thanks, but no thanks I'm not that desperate, yet!

[Sam Plusnet]

Post by Peter Withey
On Thu, 19 Mar 2020 08:24:00 +0000, Vicky Ayech

Post by Vicky Ayech
Letter from CEO saying hour from 7-8
"we will set aside the first hour in every supermarket this Thursday
19th March, for elderly and vulnerable customers. I hope that you can
respect this decision and will work with us as we try our best to help
those that need it the most. If you or an elderly family member,
friend or neighbour would like to shop during this hour, please check
online for your local supermarket opening hours."
Went past at 7.30 and carpark so full some double parked. People
coming out with trolleys piled high. What a lot of elderly and
disabled in the area! I never thought the rest would respect it.

Wow! I was in Sainsbury, Colliers Wood, SW London when the
announcement came over the tannoy about the early start.
To get there at 7am would have meant getting up at 6 or earlier.
Thanks, but no thanks I'm not that desperate, yet!

You & me both.
It'd be easier to stay up, do some shopping, & then go to bed.

[Joe Kerr]

Post by Vicky Ayech
Letter from CEO saying hour from 7-8
"we will set aside the first hour in every supermarket this Thursday
19th March, for elderly and vulnerable customers. I hope that you can
respect this decision and will work with us as we try our best to help
those that need it the most. If you or an elderly family member,
friend or neighbour would like to shop during this hour, please check
online for your local supermarket opening hours."
Went past at 7.30 and carpark so full some double parked. People
coming out with trolleys piled high. What a lot of elderly and
disabled in the area! I never thought the rest would respect it.

Had a similar report this morning regarding my local Asda. It was so
crowded the person left without shopping.

[Rosalind Mitchell]

Post by Joe Kerr

Letter from CEO saying hour from 7-8 "we will set aside the first hour
in every supermarket this Thursday 19th March, for elderly and
vulnerable customers. I hope that you can respect this decision and
will work with us as we try our best to help those that need it the
most. If you or an elderly family member, friend or neighbour would
like to shop during this hour, please check online for your local
supermarket opening hours."
Went past at 7.30 and carpark so full some double parked. People coming
out with trolleys piled high. What a lot of elderly and disabled in the
area! I never thought the rest would respect it.

Had a similar report this morning regarding my local Asda. It was so
crowded the person left without shopping.

I've done that in Asda before now.

R

[Chris J Dixon]

Post by Vicky Ayech
Letter from CEO saying hour from 7-8
"we will set aside the first hour in every supermarket this Thursday
19th March, for elderly and vulnerable customers. I hope that you can
respect this decision and will work with us as we try our best to help
those that need it the most. If you or an elderly family member,
friend or neighbour would like to shop during this hour, please check
online for your local supermarket opening hours."
Went past at 7.30 and carpark so full some double parked. People
coming out with trolleys piled high. What a lot of elderly and
disabled in the area! I never thought the rest would respect it.

Similarly crowded in Loughborough (I've posted about this
somewhere up above). My assessment of the crowd was that 95%
could reasonably be accepted as elderly. Naturally I have no idea
of the health status of the younger ones.

It is my usual shopping day, and I would say that the demographic
on a weekday morning is predominantly the elderly and students,
so a lot of them just got up a little earlier, they were probably
awake anyway. ;-)

Chris

[Rosemary Miskin]

Post by Chris J Dixon
Similarly crowded in Loughborough

The car park was pretty full when we arrived at 9:40, but had cleared considerably
when we left half an hour later. Most of the usual people were around, but also
quite a few strange faces.

Most things in stock, except pasta and flour -and the chicken I wanted for Sunday !

Rosemary

[Tony Smith Gloucestershire]

Yesterday we went to the local Sainsbury's at 7 am. Everything we wanted was OK except that the cheese counter was not yet open.

We bought the last pack of toilet paper for our neighbour.

[carolet]

Post by Tony Smith Gloucestershire
Yesterday we went to the local Sainsbury's at 7 am. Everything we wanted was OK except that the cheese counter was not yet open.
We bought the last pack of toilet paper for our neighbour.

I've had emails from Sainsbury's and Tesco's to say that they not going
to opening cheese counters, cafes, meat counters, etc, so that the staff
can be diverted onto shelf filling.

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

Post by carolet

Post by Tony Smith Gloucestershire
Yesterday we went to the local Sainsbury's at 7 am. Everything we
wanted was OK except that the cheese counter was not yet open.
We bought the last pack of toilet paper for our neighbour.

I've had emails from Sainsbury's and Tesco's to say that they not going
to opening cheese counters, cafes, meat counters, etc, so that the
staff can be diverted onto shelf filling.

A consequence of that which I hadn't thought of was that in Tescos,
there were notices saying sorry, we can't slice bread. Wouldn't bother
me, as I buy specific pre-sliced Warburton loaves anyway [and there were
no loaves of _any_ type when I went there], but I do know people who
like a fresh loaf.

[steve hague]

Post by J. P. Gilliver (John)

Post by carolet

Post by Tony Smith Gloucestershire
Yesterday we went to the local Sainsbury's at 7 am. Everything we
wanted was OK except that the cheese counter was not yet open.
 We bought the last pack of toilet paper for our neighbour.

I've had emails from Sainsbury's and Tesco's to say that they not
going to opening cheese counters, cafes, meat counters, etc, so that
the staff can be diverted onto shelf filling.

A consequence of that which I hadn't thought of was that in Tescos,
there were notices saying sorry, we can't slice bread. Wouldn't bother
me, as I buy specific pre-sliced Warburton loaves anyway [and there were
no loaves of _any_ type when I went there], but I do know people who
like a fresh loaf.

I wonder where the panic buyers/ food hoarders are putting all this
stuff. I also wonder where the money is coming from to buy it. Perhaps
this phase will come to an end when when food storage spaces, which are
limited for most of us are full and credit cards are maxed out.
Steve

[BrritSki]

Post by steve hague

Post by J. P. Gilliver (John)

Post by carolet

Post by Tony Smith Gloucestershire
Yesterday we went to the local Sainsbury's at 7 am. Everything we
wanted was OK except that the cheese counter was not yet open.
 We bought the last pack of toilet paper for our neighbour.

I've had emails from Sainsbury's and Tesco's to say that they not
going to opening cheese counters, cafes, meat counters, etc, so that
the staff can be diverted onto shelf filling.

A consequence of that which I hadn't thought of was that in Tescos,
there were notices saying sorry, we can't slice bread. Wouldn't bother
me, as I buy specific pre-sliced Warburton loaves anyway [and there
were no loaves of _any_ type when I went there], but I do know people
who like a fresh loaf.

I wonder where the panic buyers/ food hoarders are putting all this
stuff. I also wonder where the money is coming from to buy it. Perhaps
this phase will come to an end when when food storage spaces, which are
limited for most of us are full and credit cards are maxed out.

Apparently there has been a 300% jump in purchases of freezers ! Will
serve them right if there are some power cuts - not that I'm wishing
that on anybody :/

[Penny]

On Fri, 20 Mar 2020 10:47:46 +0000, BrritSki <***@gmail.com>
scrawled in the dust...

Post by BrritSki

Post by steve hague
I wonder where the panic buyers/ food hoarders are putting all this
stuff. I also wonder where the money is coming from to buy it. Perhaps
this phase will come to an end when when food storage spaces, which are
limited for most of us are full and credit cards are maxed out.

Apparently there has been a 300% jump in purchases of freezers ! Will
serve them right if there are some power cuts - not that I'm wishing
that on anybody :/

I haven't seen the definitive list of key workers but my internet keeps
dropping out lately - hope they've remembered the telecomms engineers along
with all the other utilities.

I'm confident there is enough local help should I need it but only if
internet and phones keep working.

[John Ashby]

Post by Penny
scrawled in the dust...

Post by BrritSki

Post by steve hague
I wonder where the panic buyers/ food hoarders are putting all this
stuff. I also wonder where the money is coming from to buy it. Perhaps
this phase will come to an end when when food storage spaces, which are
limited for most of us are full and credit cards are maxed out.

Apparently there has been a 300% jump in purchases of freezers ! Will
serve them right if there are some power cuts - not that I'm wishing
that on anybody :/

I haven't seen the definitive list of key workers but my internet keeps
dropping out lately - hope they've remembered the telecomms engineers along
with all the other utilities.
I'm confident there is enough local help should I need it but only if
internet and phones keep working.

I've been saying for some days now that this is going to severely stress
test the communications networks. The corollary to Clarke's Law (that
every sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic)
is that technology can magically solve any problem without regard to its
limitations. Thus in the present crisis everybody (and every
schoolchild) can work at home/stream lessons and there'll magically be
enough bandwidth to go round.

Perhaps Usenet can come into vogue again - as a social medium it's as
low bandwidth as they come (alt.binaries.* excepted).

john

[Penny]

On Fri, 20 Mar 2020 11:44:48 +0000, John Ashby <***@yahoo.com>
scrawled in the dust...

Post by John Ashby

Post by Penny
I'm confident there is enough local help should I need it but only if
internet and phones keep working.

I've been saying for some days now that this is going to severely stress
test the communications networks. The corollary to Clarke's Law (that
every sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic)
is that technology can magically solve any problem without regard to its
limitations. Thus in the present crisis everybody (and every
schoolchild) can work at home/stream lessons and there'll magically be
enough bandwidth to go round.
Perhaps Usenet can come into vogue again - as a social medium it's as
low bandwidth as they come (alt.binaries.* excepted).

I nudged d#2 into withdrawing her children from school before the
announcement of general closure - she tends to forget (deny?) her own
vulnerability. She now realises one of the things she should have stocked
up on is printer ink and paper. My grandchildren are already complaining
about getting schoolwork on a screen - paper worksheets are what they are
used to.

I did like this, from Niles earlier:

Best teacher quote for covid19

As one tired teacher in Hastings put it: “I didn’t think the apocalypse
would have this much admin.”

[Vicky Ayech]

Post by Penny
scrawled in the dust...

Post by John Ashby

Post by Penny
I'm confident there is enough local help should I need it but only if
internet and phones keep working.

I've been saying for some days now that this is going to severely stress
test the communications networks. The corollary to Clarke's Law (that
every sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic)
is that technology can magically solve any problem without regard to its
limitations. Thus in the present crisis everybody (and every
schoolchild) can work at home/stream lessons and there'll magically be
enough bandwidth to go round.
Perhaps Usenet can come into vogue again - as a social medium it's as
low bandwidth as they come (alt.binaries.* excepted).

I nudged d#2 into withdrawing her children from school before the
announcement of general closure - she tends to forget (deny?) her own
vulnerability. She now realises one of the things she should have stocked
up on is printer ink and paper. My grandchildren are already complaining
about getting schoolwork on a screen - paper worksheets are what they are
used to.
Best teacher quote for covid19
As one tired teacher in Hastings put it: “I didn’t think the apocalypse
would have this much admin.”

Yes, I told my #2 daughter she should have taken grandson from nursery
a week ago but he is out since yesterday. She has had pneumonia twice,
like me, and her partner is asthmatic.

[Sam Plusnet]

Post by Vicky Ayech
Yes, I told my #2 daughter she should have taken grandson from nursery
a week ago but he is out since yesterday. She has had pneumonia twice,
like me, and her partner is asthmatic.

In discussion in a different forum, someone seemed quite convinced that
children wouldn't/couldn't 'get' COVID-19.

Do you remember those reading comprehension tests at school, where you
had to read a short passage and then answer questions about the content?

[Jenny M Benson]

Post by Sam Plusnet
Do you remember those reading comprehension tests at school, where you
had to read a short passage and then answer questions about the content?

I do, indeed. I *hated* them - especially the first "question" (which
wasn't actually a question) which was always to précis the passage and I
was hopeless at doing that.

[Mike]

Post by Jenny M Benson

Post by Sam Plusnet
Do you remember those reading comprehension tests at school, where you
had to read a short passage and then answer questions about the content?

I do, indeed. I *hated* them - especially the first "question" (which
wasn't actually a question) which was always to précis the passage and I
was hopeless at doing that.

Guess wot this is to precis then?


‘Has he come yet?’

‘No.’

‘Oh’
;-)

[Nick Odell]

Post by Mike

Post by Jenny M Benson

Post by Sam Plusnet
Do you remember those reading comprehension tests at school, where you
had to read a short passage and then answer questions about the content?

I do, indeed. I *hated* them - especially the first "question" (which
wasn't actually a question) which was always to précis the passage and I
was hopeless at doing that.

Guess wot this is to precis then?
‘Has he come yet?’
‘No.’
‘Oh’
;-)

A pendant writes:

If one has to guess then it isn´t a proper précis.

Nick

[BrritSki]

Post by Mike

Post by Jenny M Benson

Post by Sam Plusnet
Do you remember those reading comprehension tests at school, where you
had to read a short passage and then answer questions about the content?

I do, indeed. I *hated* them - especially the first "question" (which
wasn't actually a question) which was always to précis the passage and I
was hopeless at doing that.

Guess wot this is to precis then?
‘Has he come yet?’
‘No.’
‘Oh’
;-)

Really ? What are you hanging around for ?

[Penny]

On Sat, 21 Mar 2020 16:45:58 +0000, BrritSki <***@gmail.com>
scrawled in the dust...

Post by BrritSki

Post by Mike

Post by Jenny M Benson

Post by Sam Plusnet
Do you remember those reading comprehension tests at school, where you
had to read a short passage and then answer questions about the content?

I do, indeed. I *hated* them - especially the first "question" (which
wasn't actually a question) which was always to précis the passage and I
was hopeless at doing that.

Guess wot this is to precis then?
‘Has he come yet?’
‘No.’
‘Oh’
;-)

Really ? What are you hanging around for ?

Godot, I think ;)

[Mike]

Post by Penny
scrawled in the dust...

Post by BrritSki

Post by Mike

Post by Jenny M Benson

Post by Sam Plusnet
Do you remember those reading comprehension tests at school, where you
had to read a short passage and then answer questions about the content?

I do, indeed. I *hated* them - especially the first "question" (which
wasn't actually a question) which was always to précis the passage and I
was hopeless at doing that.

Guess wot this is to precis then?
‘Has he come yet?’
‘No.’
‘Oh’
;-)

Really ? What are you hanging around for ?

Godot, I think ;)

10/10! (Willy Rushton)

[BrritSki]

Post by Penny
scrawled in the dust...

Post by BrritSki

Post by Mike

Post by Jenny M Benson

Post by Sam Plusnet
Do you remember those reading comprehension tests at school, where you
had to read a short passage and then answer questions about the content?

I do, indeed. I *hated* them - especially the first "question" (which
wasn't actually a question) which was always to précis the passage and I
was hopeless at doing that.

Guess wot this is to precis then?
‘Has he come yet?’
‘No.’
‘Oh’
;-)

Really ? What are you hanging around for ?

Godot, I think ;)

Now I'm wondering if you missed the "pendant" (sic) typo...

[Penny]

On Sat, 21 Mar 2020 19:24:20 +0000, BrritSki <***@gmail.com>
scrawled in the dust...

Post by BrritSki

Post by Penny
scrawled in the dust...

Post by BrritSki

Post by Mike

Post by Jenny M Benson

Post by Sam Plusnet
Do you remember those reading comprehension tests at school, where you
had to read a short passage and then answer questions about the content?

I do, indeed. I *hated* them - especially the first "question" (which
wasn't actually a question) which was always to précis the passage and I
was hopeless at doing that.

Guess wot this is to precis then?
‘Has he come yet?’
‘No.’
‘Oh’
;-)

Really ? What are you hanging around for ?

Godot, I think ;)

Now I'm wondering if you missed the "pendant" (sic) typo...

Of course not.

[John Ashby]

Post by Penny
scrawled in the dust...

Post by BrritSki

Post by Penny
scrawled in the dust...

Post by BrritSki

Post by Mike

Post by Jenny M Benson

Post by Sam Plusnet
Do you remember those reading comprehension tests at school, where you
had to read a short passage and then answer questions about the content?

I do, indeed. I *hated* them - especially the first "question" (which
wasn't actually a question) which was always to précis the passage and I
was hopeless at doing that.

Guess wot this is to precis then?
‘Has he come yet?’
‘No.’
‘Oh’
;-)

Really ? What are you hanging around for ?

Godot, I think ;)

Now I'm wondering if you missed the "pendant" (sic) typo...

Of course not.

It's why there's a tree on the stage.

john

[BrritSki]

Post by John Ashby

Post by Penny
scrawled in the dust...

Post by BrritSki

Post by Penny
On Sat, 21 Mar 2020 16:45:58 +0000, BrritSki
scrawled in the dust...

Post by Mike

Post by Sam Plusnet
Do you remember those reading comprehension tests at school, where you
had to read a short passage and then answer questions about the content?

I do, indeed.  I *hated* them - especially the first "question"
(which
wasn't actually a question) which was always to précis the passage and I
was hopeless at doing that.

Guess wot this is to precis then?
‘Has he come yet?’
‘No.’
‘Oh’
;-)

Really ?  What are you hanging around for ?

Godot, I think ;)

Now I'm wondering if you missed the "pendant" (sic) typo...

Of course not.

I thought it was unlikely, but so was me not knowing it was Godot :)

Post by John Ashby
It's why there's a tree on the stage.

Never seen it, never will :)

[Penny]

On Sun, 22 Mar 2020 08:08:21 +0000, BrritSki <***@gmail.com>
scrawled in the dust...

Post by BrritSki

Post by Penny
scrawled in the dust...

Post by BrritSki

Post by Penny
On Sat, 21 Mar 2020 16:45:58 +0000, BrritSki
scrawled in the dust...

Post by Mike

Post by Sam Plusnet
Do you remember those reading comprehension tests at school, where you
had to read a short passage and then answer questions about the content?

I do, indeed.  I *hated* them - especially the first "question"
(which
wasn't actually a question) which was always to précis the passage and I
was hopeless at doing that.

Guess wot this is to precis then?
‘Has he come yet?’
‘No.’
‘Oh’
;-)

Really ?  What are you hanging around for ?

Godot, I think ;)

Now I'm wondering if you missed the "pendant" (sic) typo...

Of course not.

I thought it was unlikely, but so was me not knowing it was Godot :)

I just felt your question needed a punchline, sorry if you didn't like
mine.

[BrritSki]

Post by Penny
scrawled in the dust...

Post by BrritSki

Post by Penny
scrawled in the dust...

Post by BrritSki

Post by Penny
On Sat, 21 Mar 2020 16:45:58 +0000, BrritSki
scrawled in the dust...

Post by Mike

Post by Sam Plusnet
Do you remember those reading comprehension tests at school, where you
had to read a short passage and then answer questions about the
content?

I do, indeed.  I *hated* them - especially the first "question"
(which
wasn't actually a question) which was always to précis the passage and I
was hopeless at doing that.

Guess wot this is to precis then?
‘Has he come yet?’
‘No.’
‘Oh’
;-)

Really ?  What are you hanging around for ?

Godot, I think ;)

Now I'm wondering if you missed the "pendant" (sic) typo...

Of course not.

I thought it was unlikely, but so was me not knowing it was Godot :)

I just felt your question needed a punchline, sorry if you didn't like
mine.

No problem at all 1d, as my smiley indicated :)))

[Paul Herber]

Post by BrritSki

Post by Mike

Post by Jenny M Benson

Post by Sam Plusnet
Do you remember those reading comprehension tests at school, where you
had to read a short passage and then answer questions about the content?

I do, indeed. I *hated* them - especially the first "question" (which
wasn't actually a question) which was always to précis the passage and I
was hopeless at doing that.

Guess wot this is to precis then?
‘Has he come yet?’
‘No.’
‘Oh’
;-)

Really ? What are you hanging around for ?

Wait a while, they'll soon see the light.

[BrritSki]

Post by Paul Herber

Post by BrritSki

Post by Mike

Post by Jenny M Benson

Post by Sam Plusnet
Do you remember those reading comprehension tests at school, where you
had to read a short passage and then answer questions about the content?

I do, indeed. I *hated* them - especially the first "question" (which
wasn't actually a question) which was always to précis the passage and I
was hopeless at doing that.

Guess wot this is to precis then?
‘Has he come yet?’
‘No.’
‘Oh’
;-)

Really ? What are you hanging around for ?

Wait a while, they'll soon see the light.

:)

[Chris J Dixon]

Post by Sam Plusnet
Do you remember those reading comprehension tests at school, where you
had to read a short passage and then answer questions about the content?

I was generally fine on the factual stuff, but got a bit lost
with the "What did the author mean by...?" and "How do you think
the writer felt about...?".

Chris

[Mike]

Post by Chris J Dixon

Post by Sam Plusnet
Do you remember those reading comprehension tests at school, where you
had to read a short passage and then answer questions about the content?

I was generally fine on the factual stuff, but got a bit lost
with the "What did the author mean by...?" and "How do you think
the writer felt about...?".
Chris

‘Why not ask the bleeder themselves and get it from the ‘orses’ maaf?’

[Nick Leverton]

Post by Chris J Dixon

Post by Sam Plusnet
Do you remember those reading comprehension tests at school, where you
had to read a short passage and then answer questions about the content?

I was generally fine on the factual stuff, but got a bit lost
with the "What did the author mean by...?" and "How do you think
the writer felt about...?".
Chris

‘Why not ask the bleeder themselves and get it from the ‘orses’ maaf?’

Yes, much of Eng Lit seemed to expect you to be a telepathic mindreader,
mostly with ready two-way access to the spirit world also.

I didn't do very well at it.

Nick

[Chris J Dixon]

Post by Nick Leverton

Post by Mike

Post by Chris J Dixon

Post by Sam Plusnet
Do you remember those reading comprehension tests at school, where you
had to read a short passage and then answer questions about the content?

I was generally fine on the factual stuff, but got a bit lost
with the "What did the author mean by...?" and "How do you think
the writer felt about...?".

‘Why not ask the bleeder themselves and get it from the ‘orses’ maaf?’

Yes, much of Eng Lit seemed to expect you to be a telepathic mindreader,
mostly with ready two-way access to the spirit world also.
I didn't do very well at it.

I have read a number of articles over the years where profound
studies of literary works, poetry and songs have been rubbish ed
by their living authors. Ranging from "They completely
misunderstood." to "No, it wasn't a really clever and obscure
reference, it was a misprint.".

Chris

[Chris J Dixon]

Post by Chris J Dixon
I have read a number of articles over the years where profound
studies of literary works, poetry and songs have been rubbish ed
by their living authors. Ranging from "They completely
misunderstood." to "No, it wasn't a really clever and obscure
reference, it was a misprint.".

Guess whose spell checker thought I was writing about a rubbish
ed. Freudian?

Chris

[John Ashby]

Post by Chris J Dixon

Post by Chris J Dixon
I have read a number of articles over the years where profound
studies of literary works, poetry and songs have been rubbish ed
by their living authors. Ranging from "They completely
misunderstood." to "No, it wasn't a really clever and obscure
reference, it was a misprint.".

Guess whose spell checker thought I was writing about a rubbish
ed. Freudian?
Chris

Didn't Ian McEwan's son get a D for an essay on one of his dad's books,
an essay dad had helped with?

john

[Penny]

On Sat, 21 Mar 2020 11:00:38 GMT, Mike <***@ntlworld.com> scrawled
in the dust...

Post by Mike

Post by Chris J Dixon

Post by Sam Plusnet
Do you remember those reading comprehension tests at school, where you
had to read a short passage and then answer questions about the content?

I was generally fine on the factual stuff, but got a bit lost
with the "What did the author mean by...?" and "How do you think
the writer felt about...?".
Chris

‘Why not ask the bleeder themselves and get it from the ‘orses’ maaf?’

I've heard several authors whose work has found its way onto school exams
say they could not answer such questions themselves.

[Vicky Ayech]

Post by Chris J Dixon

Post by Sam Plusnet
Do you remember those reading comprehension tests at school, where you
had to read a short passage and then answer questions about the content?

I was generally fine on the factual stuff, but got a bit lost
with the "What did the author mean by...?" and "How do you think
the writer felt about...?".
Chris

Ah, I rather liked those questions.

[steve hague]

Post by Chris J Dixon

Post by Sam Plusnet
Do you remember those reading comprehension tests at school, where you
had to read a short passage and then answer questions about the content?

I was generally fine on the factual stuff, but got a bit lost
with the "What did the author mean by...?" and "How do you think
the writer felt about...?".
Chris

Wasn't this the time when exams started tilting towards those better
equipped with eostregen?
Steve

[Rosalind Mitchell]

Post by Sam Plusnet
Do you remember those reading comprehension tests at school, where you
had to read a short passage and then answer questions about the content?

I was generally fine on the factual stuff, but got a bit lost with the
"What did the author mean by...?" and "How do you think the writer felt
about...?".

I don't blame you. Haven't they heard of Roland Barthes? What the author
meant by X or felt about Y isn't relevant, it's what meaning and feeling
the reader takes that matters. What did Bill Shakey mean by Mistress
Overdone's 'bawdy house in the suburbs'? Not Ambleside Avenue, Streatham
that's for sure, although you can't read or produce Measure For Measure
these days without a nod to Cynthia Payne. How did Robert Browning feel
about the Duke of Ferrara's previous duchess? It's unknown and
irrelevant; it's the duke's attitude that matters. What makes the
examiners so sure they know the answer anyway? Who really wrote Measure
for Measure?

This is the sort of thing that quite rightly exercised Michael Rosen, and
quite rightly. https://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/apr/07/key-
stage-1-poetry-assessment-wrecks-poems-for-children

Take what you want from reading, Sam, and don't let anybody stop you.

R

[BrritSki]

Post by Rosalind Mitchell
Take what you want from reading, Sam, and don't let anybody stop you.

<LW>

[Sam Plusnet]

Post by Chris J Dixon

Post by Sam Plusnet
Do you remember those reading comprehension tests at school, where you
had to read a short passage and then answer questions about the content?

I was generally fine on the factual stuff, but got a bit lost
with the "What did the author mean by...?" and "How do you think
the writer felt about...?".

Rephrase as

"What do you think that _I_ think the writer meant by...?"

[Anne B]

Post by Sam Plusnet

Post by Vicky Ayech
Yes, I told my #2 daughter she should have taken grandson from nursery
a week ago but he is out since yesterday. She has had pneumonia twice,
like me,  and her partner is asthmatic.

In discussion in a different forum, someone seemed quite convinced that
children wouldn't/couldn't 'get' COVID-19.
Do you remember those reading comprehension tests at school, where you
had to read a short passage and then answer questions about the content?

Yes. I hated them. And I hated having to pick apart a book or a play or
whatever instead of just reading and enjoying it. "What is the evidence
in 'Goetz von Berlichingen' for Goethe's interest in the natural world?"
Gie'd me the boke, good an' proper.

Anne B

[Penny]

On Sat, 21 Mar 2020 22:39:04 +0000, Anne B <***@btinternet.com>
scrawled in the dust...

Post by Anne B

Post by Sam Plusnet

Post by Vicky Ayech
Yes, I told my #2 daughter she should have taken grandson from nursery
a week ago but he is out since yesterday. She has had pneumonia twice,
like me,  and her partner is asthmatic.

In discussion in a different forum, someone seemed quite convinced that
children wouldn't/couldn't 'get' COVID-19.
Do you remember those reading comprehension tests at school, where you
had to read a short passage and then answer questions about the content?

It's a strange thing but intelligent people can read and absorb advice but
still not apply it to themselves.

Yesterday d#1 told us of her intentions to help out neighbours, then went
on to tell us about three people she has been in direct contact with in the
last week who are now sick. After writing it down she realised she should
not be going near the neighbours.

Post by Anne B
Yes. I hated them. And I hated having to pick apart a book or a play or
whatever instead of just reading and enjoying it. "What is the evidence
in 'Goetz von Berlichingen' for Goethe's interest in the natural world?"
Gie'd me the boke, good an' proper.

Another strange thing - I loved comprehension tests in primary school but
did not do Eng Lit at A level because I loved reading books, poetry and
plays but hated pulling them to bits and analysing them for an exam.

D#1 did a film module as part of her degree course and finds the automatic
analysing it prompted has somewhat spoiled her enjoyment of films.

Post by Anne B
Anne B

[Kate B]

Post by Penny
scrawled in the dust...

Post by Anne B

Post by Sam Plusnet

Post by Vicky Ayech
Yes, I told my #2 daughter she should have taken grandson from nursery
a week ago but he is out since yesterday. She has had pneumonia twice,
like me,  and her partner is asthmatic.

In discussion in a different forum, someone seemed quite convinced that
children wouldn't/couldn't 'get' COVID-19.
Do you remember those reading comprehension tests at school, where you
had to read a short passage and then answer questions about the content?

It's a strange thing but intelligent people can read and absorb advice but
still not apply it to themselves.
Yesterday d#1 told us of her intentions to help out neighbours, then went
on to tell us about three people she has been in direct contact with in the
last week who are now sick. After writing it down she realised she should
not be going near the neighbours.

Post by Anne B
Yes. I hated them. And I hated having to pick apart a book or a play or
whatever instead of just reading and enjoying it. "What is the evidence
in 'Goetz von Berlichingen' for Goethe's interest in the natural world?"
Gie'd me the boke, good an' proper.

Another strange thing - I loved comprehension tests in primary school but
did not do Eng Lit at A level because I loved reading books, poetry and
plays but hated pulling them to bits and analysing them for an exam.
D#1 did a film module as part of her degree course and finds the automatic
analysing it prompted has somewhat spoiled her enjoyment of films.

Post by Anne B
Anne B

I kept myself going during my final degree year (English) by telling
myself, 'they'll all still be here after you've eviscerated them. Leave
it a while and you can read them for pleasure again'. But then I did a
couple of years' teaching, and found myself telling myself 'Leave it a
while and you won't automatically analyse everything you read with
reference to boiling it down for fifteen-year-olds with short attention
spans'. Then I started directing operas and found I couldn't just watch
something without analysing exactly why the whole concept was so
misbegotten and criticising characterisation and projection.

Twenty years on from most of that I think it's time to listen to more
opera and read Paradise Lost again. Heaven knows there ought to be time
in the next months.

(Except of course there is still the cleaning, and more cleaning, and
laundry, and cooking, and working out what I should order for next week
and whether any of it will be available. Not to mention keeping up with
far-flung family and social media which has gone bananas.)

[Penny]

On Fri, 20 Mar 2020 22:56:56 +0000, Sam Plusnet <***@home.com> scrawled in
the dust...

Post by Sam Plusnet
Do you remember those reading comprehension tests at school, where you
had to read a short passage and then answer questions about the content?

D#1 phoned earlier for a proper Mother's Day chat and was telling me about
some of the tasks she has to wrangle while working from home (she has a
student outreach role at Sheffield Uni).

Apparently, the many Chinese students they have do not know how to write an
essay. They have been taught to believe everything their teacher says and
learn it, not question it or analyse the evidence. They can regurgitate
facts.

The academics have been working on something to help with this - though now
they are working from home are struggling to upload the content.

I was never taught how to write an essay and neither was my daughter.
I did learn from my teachers remarks (in red pen) that a straight
collection of facts I knew about the subject was not enough, even if it
covered all the mark points (which they probably didn't have written down
in those days) and was written legibly in reasonable English. So instead of
writing less than one page, I learned to waffle around the facts for three
pages which seemed to appease them and got me reasonable marks. I still had
little idea about structure and resented the time the waffling took.

So I suppose part of the point of comprehension tests was to train us for
this. Give the facts and restate them in enough different ways (waffle) to
demonstrate you understand them.

[Jim Easterbrook]

Post by Penny
I was never taught how to write an essay and neither was my daughter.

I wasn't either.

Post by Penny
I did learn from my teachers remarks (in red pen) that a straight
collection of facts I knew about the subject was not enough, even if it
covered all the mark points (which they probably didn't have written
down in those days) and was written legibly in reasonable English. So
instead of writing less than one page, I learned to waffle around the
facts for three pages which seemed to appease them and got me reasonable
marks.

Ah, I never got to that stage. I was too proud of my ability to say
everything I had to say in as few words as possible.

[Penny]

On 22 Mar 2020 14:36:51 GMT, Jim Easterbrook <***@jim-easterbrook.me.uk>
scrawled in the dust...

Post by Jim Easterbrook

Post by Penny
I was never taught how to write an essay and neither was my daughter.

I wasn't either.

Post by Penny
I did learn from my teachers remarks (in red pen) that a straight
collection of facts I knew about the subject was not enough, even if it
covered all the mark points (which they probably didn't have written
down in those days) and was written legibly in reasonable English. So
instead of writing less than one page, I learned to waffle around the
facts for three pages which seemed to appease them and got me reasonable
marks.

Ah, I never got to that stage. I was too proud of my ability to say
everything I had to say in as few words as possible.

Rightly so but how did they know you (and the rest of the 40 children in
your class) understood it?

[Jim Easterbrook]

Post by Penny
scrawled in the dust...

Post by Jim Easterbrook

Post by Penny
I was never taught how to write an essay and neither was my daughter.

I wasn't either.

Post by Penny
I did learn from my teachers remarks (in red pen) that a straight
collection of facts I knew about the subject was not enough, even if
it covered all the mark points (which they probably didn't have
written down in those days) and was written legibly in reasonable
English. So instead of writing less than one page, I learned to waffle
around the facts for three pages which seemed to appease them and got
me reasonable marks.

Ah, I never got to that stage. I was too proud of my ability to say
everything I had to say in as few words as possible.

Rightly so but how did they know you (and the rest of the 40 children in
your class) understood it?

They didn't. I only did well in subjects that didn't require essays.

[John Ashby]

Post by Jim Easterbrook

Post by Penny
scrawled in the dust...

Post by Jim Easterbrook

Post by Penny
I was never taught how to write an essay and neither was my daughter.

I wasn't either.

Post by Penny
I did learn from my teachers remarks (in red pen) that a straight
collection of facts I knew about the subject was not enough, even if
it covered all the mark points (which they probably didn't have
written down in those days) and was written legibly in reasonable
English. So instead of writing less than one page, I learned to waffle
around the facts for three pages which seemed to appease them and got
me reasonable marks.

Ah, I never got to that stage. I was too proud of my ability to say
everything I had to say in as few words as possible.

Rightly so but how did they know you (and the rest of the 40 children in
your class) understood it?

They didn't. I only did well in subjects that didn't require essays.

Preferably answers to 2 significant figures an don't bother to show your
working.

john

[steveski]

Post by Jim Easterbrook

Post by Penny
I was never taught how to write an essay and neither was my daughter.

I wasn't either.

Post by Penny
I did learn from my teachers remarks (in red pen) that a straight
collection of facts I knew about the subject was not enough, even if it
covered all the mark points (which they probably didn't have written
down in those days) and was written legibly in reasonable English. So
instead of writing less than one page, I learned to waffle around the
facts for three pages which seemed to appease them and got me
reasonable marks.

Ah, I never got to that stage. I was too proud of my ability to say
everything I had to say in as few words as possible.

Concise.

[Jenny M Benson]

Post by Penny
I was never taught how to write an essay and neither was my daughter.
I did learn from my teachers remarks (in red pen)

I remember the day - in Primary school - when the teacher praised and
read out a composition (we didn't call them essays) by one of my
classmates and I thought "oh! if that's the sort of thing they want, I
can do that."

[Penny]

On Sun, 22 Mar 2020 14:57:58 +0000, Jenny M Benson <***@hotmail.co.uk>
scrawled in the dust...

Post by Jenny M Benson

Post by Penny
I was never taught how to write an essay and neither was my daughter.
I did learn from my teachers remarks (in red pen)

I remember the day - in Primary school - when the teacher praised and
read out a composition (we didn't call them essays) by one of my
classmates and I thought "oh! if that's the sort of thing they want, I
can do that."

I was always ok at primary school where we mostly wrote stories. In infants
we were usually shown a big picture and asked to write about it. I only
needed to be told once not to start every sentence with "In the picture I
can see...".

[BrritSki]

Post by Penny
scrawled in the dust...

Post by Jenny M Benson

Post by Penny
I was never taught how to write an essay and neither was my daughter.
I did learn from my teachers remarks (in red pen)

In an essay on the development of nuclear physics I had the remarkable
sentence "Bohr was another" which was underlined and had a red
exclamation mark by it :)
He once crept up on my and my friend talking behind the reagent shelves
at the back of the class and clipped us both on the back of the head.
Happy days :) Alfie Crocker... Great teacher who I had long chats with
3 or 4 years later on the touchline watching Drother play for 1t XV.

Post by Penny

Post by Jenny M Benson
I remember the day - in Primary school - when the teacher praised and
read out a composition (we didn't call them essays) by one of my
classmates and I thought "oh! if that's the sort of thing they want, I
can do that."

I was always ok at primary school where we mostly wrote stories.

I still remember my last primary school teacher, Mrs Negus, always gave
us several titles to choose from and once one of the choices was
"Caramba !". Nobody had a clue in 1957 what it meant and the more I#ve
thought about it over the years the more it astonishes and amuses me :)

[BrritSki]

Post by Nick Odell
<snip>

Talking of teachers, I saw some comment a couple of days ago from a head
teacher moaning that they didn't know what to do. I'd like to commend
norty dorter's school who have risen magnificently to the challenge and
in just 2 days:

- identified which parents were key workers were and also the children
at risk or SEN;
- there were about 20% of the school of around 600 who qualified;
- worked out a rota to teach them, so each teacher will work 2 days 1
week and 3 the next etc.;
- ND will be allowed to bring her 3 (3-8) on the days she is working;
- organised school meals (the only hot meal some of the disadvantaged
get every day);

all while still open and teaching almost full classes.

I am sure this was the same for the vast majority of schools as eny fule
kno.

[Rosalind Mitchell]

Post by BrritSki

Post by Penny
On Sun, 22 Mar 2020 14:57:58 +0000, Jenny M Benson
scrawled in the dust...

Post by Jenny M Benson

Post by Penny
I was never taught how to write an essay and neither was my daughter.
I did learn from my teachers remarks (in red pen)

In an essay on the development of nuclear physics I had the remarkable
sentence "Bohr was another" which was underlined and had a red
exclamation mark by it :)
He once crept up on my and my friend talking behind the reagent shelves
at the back of the class and clipped us both on the back of the head.
Happy days :) Alfie Crocker... Great teacher who I had long chats with
3 or 4 years later on the touchline watching Drother play for 1t XV.

Post by Penny

Post by Jenny M Benson
I remember the day - in Primary school - when the teacher praised and
read out a composition (we didn't call them essays) by one of my
classmates and I thought "oh! if that's the sort of thing they want,
I can do that."

I was always ok at primary school where we mostly wrote stories.

I still remember my last primary school teacher, Mrs Negus, always gave
us several titles to choose from and once one of the choices was
"Caramba !". Nobody had a clue in 1957 what it meant and the more I#ve
thought about it over the years the more it astonishes and amuses me :)

Wasn't it what greasy dago football types used to say when Roy of the
Rovers went dancing past each defender in turn to score?

R

[Kate B]

Post by Penny
the dust...

Post by Sam Plusnet
Do you remember those reading comprehension tests at school, where you
had to read a short passage and then answer questions about the content?

D#1 phoned earlier for a proper Mother's Day chat and was telling me about
some of the tasks she has to wrangle while working from home (she has a
student outreach role at Sheffield Uni).
Apparently, the many Chinese students they have do not know how to write an
essay. They have been taught to believe everything their teacher says and
learn it, not question it or analyse the evidence. They can regurgitate
facts.
The academics have been working on something to help with this - though now
they are working from home are struggling to upload the content.
I was never taught how to write an essay and neither was my daughter.
I did learn from my teachers remarks (in red pen) that a straight
collection of facts I knew about the subject was not enough, even if it
covered all the mark points (which they probably didn't have written down
in those days) and was written legibly in reasonable English. So instead of
writing less than one page, I learned to waffle around the facts for three
pages which seemed to appease them and got me reasonable marks. I still had
little idea about structure and resented the time the waffling took.
So I suppose part of the point of comprehension tests was to train us for
this. Give the facts and restate them in enough different ways (waffle) to
demonstrate you understand them.

I was never much good at waffle. My history teacher once wrote in red
pen at the bottom of a too-short essay: 'You always manage to hit the
nail on the head but inevitably fail to bang it in.'

[Penny]

On Sun, 22 Mar 2020 15:52:55 +0000, Kate B <***@nospam.demon.co.uk>
scrawled in the dust...

Post by Kate B
I was never much good at waffle. My history teacher once wrote in red
pen at the bottom of a too-short essay: 'You always manage to hit the
nail on the head but inevitably fail to bang it in.'

Oh, I do like that :))

My sister-in-law, when head of biology at Maidstone Girls Grammar, moaned
about the daughter of a friend of mine who had joined the school for A
levels having previously attended a private school in the area (she and her
sister got scholarships).

'She always gets everything on my mark list but she writes in bullet
points, can't string a sentence together. I don't know how to mark that.'
was the complaint.

Both girls/women are undoubtedly 'somewhere on the spectrum', as they say,
both subsequently taught for a while, but not for long. Schools really
should be able to cope with this by now and not force people to waste time
waffling or mark them down if they don't. They are in danger of promoting
the clueless wafflers over those who actually understand, and those who
show their erroneous working over those who just seem to 'know' the correct
answer.

The poor quality of school assessment was brought to light quite starkly a
few years back when a large number of students complained about a question
in a GCSE paper which they claimed covered something which they had not
been taught. I think the question related to a marine mammal. They'd been
taught about a different marine mammal but failed to understand enough
about the subject to realise what they had been taught applied to all
marine mammals.

[John Ashby]

Post by Penny
scrawled in the dust...

Post by Kate B
I was never much good at waffle. My history teacher once wrote in red
pen at the bottom of a too-short essay: 'You always manage to hit the
nail on the head but inevitably fail to bang it in.'

Oh, I do like that :))
My sister-in-law, when head of biology at Maidstone Girls Grammar, moaned
about the daughter of a friend of mine who had joined the school for A
levels having previously attended a private school in the area (she and her
sister got scholarships).
'She always gets everything on my mark list but she writes in bullet
points, can't string a sentence together. I don't know how to mark that.'
was the complaint.
Both girls/women are undoubtedly 'somewhere on the spectrum', as they say,
both subsequently taught for a while, but not for long. Schools really
should be able to cope with this by now and not force people to waste time
waffling or mark them down if they don't. They are in danger of promoting
the clueless wafflers over those who actually understand, and those who
show their erroneous working over those who just seem to 'know' the correct
answer.
The poor quality of school assessment was brought to light quite starkly a
few years back when a large number of students complained about a question
in a GCSE paper which they claimed covered something which they had not
been taught. I think the question related to a marine mammal. They'd been
taught about a different marine mammal but failed to understand enough
about the subject to realise what they had been taught applied to all
marine mammals.

At the other end was the Slough Comprehensive student who got a low
grade in his GCSE history exam despite being regarded as a top flight
history student. They applied for a re-mark and also sent his paper to a
university professor who said that the essay he had written was very
good - as an undergraduate essay but missed the simplified (lack of)
understanding needed for GCSE.

A friend of ours a few years ago undertook a course in Counselling which
involved writing an essay. She was a bit upset when she got the essay
back marked B-. Previously she had been sub-Dean in the English
department of a red-brick university and had never got less than an A
for any piece of work in her academic career. She showed the essay to
her late-teenage children and the first thing they asked was "What's the
mark scheme?" Again, she had written a fine essay but it didn't fit the
criteria laid down so it could be marked by non-experts.

john

[Rosalind Mitchell]

Post by John Ashby
At the other end was the Slough Comprehensive student who got a low
grade in his GCSE history exam despite being regarded as a top flight
history student. They applied for a re-mark and also sent his paper to a
university professor who said that the essay he had written was very
good - as an undergraduate essay but missed the simplified (lack of)
understanding needed for GCSE.

As I, who failed Eng Lit at O-level but later got a First in (mostly) Eng
Lit, have known for many years, there's the invisible rubric on school-
level public exam papers: "Original thinking will be penalised".

R

[Chris McMillan]

Post by Penny
scrawled in the dust...

Post by John Ashby

Post by Penny
I'm confident there is enough local help should I need it but only if
internet and phones keep working.

I've been saying for some days now that this is going to severely stress
test the communications networks. The corollary to Clarke's Law (that
every sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic)
is that technology can magically solve any problem without regard to its
limitations. Thus in the present crisis everybody (and every
schoolchild) can work at home/stream lessons and there'll magically be
enough bandwidth to go round.
Perhaps Usenet can come into vogue again - as a social medium it's as
low bandwidth as they come (alt.binaries.* excepted).

I nudged d#2 into withdrawing her children from school before the
announcement of general closure - she tends to forget (deny?) her own
vulnerability. She now realises one of the things she should have stocked
up on is printer ink and paper. My grandchildren are already complaining
about getting schoolwork on a screen - paper worksheets are what they are
used to.
Best teacher quote for covid19
As one tired teacher in Hastings put it: “I didn’t think the apocalypse
would have this much admin.”

He should know!

Sincerely Chris

[BrritSki]

Post by Chris McMillan

Post by Penny
scrawled in the dust...

Post by John Ashby

Post by Penny
I'm confident there is enough local help should I need it but only if
internet and phones keep working.

I've been saying for some days now that this is going to severely stress
test the communications networks. The corollary to Clarke's Law (that
every sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic)
is that technology can magically solve any problem without regard to its
limitations. Thus in the present crisis everybody (and every
schoolchild) can work at home/stream lessons and there'll magically be
enough bandwidth to go round.
Perhaps Usenet can come into vogue again - as a social medium it's as
low bandwidth as they come (alt.binaries.* excepted).

I nudged d#2 into withdrawing her children from school before the
announcement of general closure - she tends to forget (deny?) her own
vulnerability. She now realises one of the things she should have stocked
up on is printer ink and paper. My grandchildren are already complaining
about getting schoolwork on a screen - paper worksheets are what they are
used to.
Best teacher quote for covid19
As one tired teacher in Hastings put it: “I didn’t think the apocalypse
would have this much admin.”

He should know!

What, he's the Antichrist ?

His ***@Demon666 email address should have been a giveaway.

[krw]

Thus in the present crisis everybody (and every schoolchild) can work at
home/stream lessons and there'll magically be enough bandwidth to go round.

Netflix have reduced streaming quality by 25% to compensate.

[Joe Kerr]

Post by steve hague
I wonder where the panic buyers/ food hoarders are putting all this
stuff. I also wonder where the money is coming from to buy it. Perhaps
this phase will come to an end when when food storage spaces, which are
limited for most of us are full and credit cards are maxed out.
Steve

And how much will go in the bin when the best by date arrives.

It's almost as if they have used their Brexit stockpiles already.

[Sam Plusnet]

Post by J. P. Gilliver (John)
A consequence of that which I hadn't thought of was that in Tescos,
there were notices saying sorry, we can't slice bread. Wouldn't bother
me, as I buy specific pre-sliced Warburton loaves anyway [and there were
no loaves of _any_ type when I went there], but I do know people who
like a fresh loaf.

I've never seen the point of buying an un-sliced loaf and then asking to
have it sliced.
Our local Tesco has a really bad habit of slicing up _all_ the available
'un-sliced' loaves at some point in the mid-afternoon.
Anyone (me) who actually wants their loaf in its natural state is SOL.

[Vicky Ayech]

Post by Sam Plusnet

Post by J. P. Gilliver (John)
A consequence of that which I hadn't thought of was that in Tescos,
there were notices saying sorry, we can't slice bread. Wouldn't bother
me, as I buy specific pre-sliced Warburton loaves anyway [and there were
no loaves of _any_ type when I went there], but I do know people who
like a fresh loaf.

I've never seen the point of buying an un-sliced loaf and then asking to
have it sliced.
Our local Tesco has a really bad habit of slicing up _all_ the available
'un-sliced' loaves at some point in the mid-afternoon.
Anyone (me) who actually wants their loaf in its natural state is SOL.

The unsliced bread is a differnt kind of loaf. But I like it with
regular slices that Ican't do and if they slice it and re-wrap it it
lasts as long as a wrapped and sliced loaf. But I now get Hovis
anyway, which comes sliced. Except it is not currently avaiable for
tescos delivery :(

[Mike]

Post by Vicky Ayech

Post by Sam Plusnet

Post by J. P. Gilliver (John)
A consequence of that which I hadn't thought of was that in Tescos,
there were notices saying sorry, we can't slice bread. Wouldn't bother
me, as I buy specific pre-sliced Warburton loaves anyway [and there were
no loaves of _any_ type when I went there], but I do know people who
like a fresh loaf.

I've never seen the point of buying an un-sliced loaf and then asking to
have it sliced.
Our local Tesco has a really bad habit of slicing up _all_ the available
'un-sliced' loaves at some point in the mid-afternoon.
Anyone (me) who actually wants their loaf in its natural state is SOL.

The unsliced bread is a differnt kind of loaf. But I like it with
regular slices that Ican't do and if they slice it and re-wrap it it
lasts as long as a wrapped and sliced loaf. But I now get Hovis
anyway, which comes sliced. Except it is not currently avaiable for
tescos delivery :(

We are on our third (or is it fourth?) Panasonic breadmaker; so every few
days, this is pressed into service, usually to make a ‘Cotswold Crunch’
type loaf. Sometimes I’ll make a plain wholemeal loaf or even a spicy fruit
loaf - but of course.... no nuggering strong white flour in the s/markets
makes for difficulties; we have a small stock of strong white left and hope
the hoarders come to their senses in a week or two. Mine Dew, deliveries
are... (cont. on P94...

[Jenny M Benson]

Post by Mike
Mine Dew, deliveries
are... (cont. on P94...

I hope they'll continue to next week! I got an e-mail from Wiltshire
Farm Foods on Thursday, saying they were busy and website might be slow,
but working. It reminded me I hadn't thought to try them, so went to
their website and was rather surprised that they were offering to
deliver to me the next day. Put in a small order, which was
acknowledged with an e-mail saying I could "expect to see your friendly
delivery driver on Friday 20th March."

It's now noon on Saturday 21 March and I am still waiting to see my
friendly delivery driver, or better still the meals I ordered. Even an
e-mail to apologise and re-arrange would be acceptable.

[Sam Plusnet]

Post by Vicky Ayech

Post by Sam Plusnet

Post by J. P. Gilliver (John)
A consequence of that which I hadn't thought of was that in Tescos,
there were notices saying sorry, we can't slice bread. Wouldn't bother
me, as I buy specific pre-sliced Warburton loaves anyway [and there were
no loaves of _any_ type when I went there], but I do know people who
like a fresh loaf.

I've never seen the point of buying an un-sliced loaf and then asking to
have it sliced.
Our local Tesco has a really bad habit of slicing up _all_ the available
'un-sliced' loaves at some point in the mid-afternoon.
Anyone (me) who actually wants their loaf in its natural state is SOL.

The unsliced bread is a differnt kind of loaf. But I like it with
regular slices that Ican't do and if they slice it and re-wrap it it
lasts as long as a wrapped and sliced loaf. But I now get Hovis
anyway, which comes sliced. Except it is not currently avaiable for
tescos delivery :(

Fine, but I like to change the slice thickness to suit... whatever I'm
making at that time.
Sandwiches? Fairly thin slices make sense.
Bread to go with a meal? Often doorsteps are much more fun.

It might last as long as a wrapped sliced loaf[1], but it keeps better
if it's unsliced. If needed, I take a thin sliver off the cut end and
that exposes fresh bread.

[1] Although a lot of sliced bread seems to have lots of additives to
stop it going stale/mouldy etc.

[steve hague]

Post by Sam Plusnet

Post by Vicky Ayech

Post by Sam Plusnet

Post by J. P. Gilliver (John)
A consequence of that which I hadn't thought of was that in Tescos,
there were notices saying sorry, we can't slice bread. Wouldn't bother
me, as I buy specific pre-sliced Warburton loaves anyway [and there were
no loaves of _any_ type when I went there], but I do know people who
like a fresh loaf.

I've never seen the point of buying an un-sliced loaf and then asking to
have it sliced.
Our local Tesco has a really bad habit of slicing up _all_ the available
'un-sliced' loaves at some point in the mid-afternoon.
Anyone (me) who actually wants their loaf in its natural state is SOL.

The unsliced bread is a differnt kind of loaf. But I like it with
regular slices that Ican't do and if they slice it and re-wrap it it
lasts as long as a wrapped and sliced loaf. But I now get Hovis
anyway, which comes sliced. Except it is not currently avaiable for
tescos delivery :(

Fine, but I like to change the slice thickness to suit... whatever I'm
making at that time.
Sandwiches?  Fairly thin slices make sense.
Bread to go with a meal?  Often doorsteps are much more fun.
It might last as long as a wrapped sliced loaf[1], but it keeps better
if it's unsliced.  If needed, I take a thin sliver off the cut end and
that exposes fresh bread.
[1] Although a lot of sliced bread seems to have lots of additives to
stop it going stale/mouldy etc.

For some reason, Hovis original wheatgerm seems to keep better than
other bought bread, as well as tasting better.
Steve

[Jim Easterbrook]

Post by steve hague

Post by Sam Plusnet
[1] Although a lot of sliced bread seems to have lots of additives to
stop it going stale/mouldy etc.

For some reason, Hovis original wheatgerm seems to keep better than
other bought bread, as well as tasting better.

I'm surprised how well my home made sourdough bread keeps. A year or two
ago I went on holiday without putting the half eaten loaf in the freezer.
When we came back two weeks later it was still fine. (I keep bread
wrapped in a plastic bag in the fridge, to the horror of some bread
experts. But it works for me.)

[Mike]

Post by Jim Easterbrook

Post by steve hague

Post by Sam Plusnet
[1] Although a lot of sliced bread seems to have lots of additives to
stop it going stale/mouldy etc.

For some reason, Hovis original wheatgerm seems to keep better than
other bought bread, as well as tasting better.

I'm surprised how well my home made sourdough bread keeps. A year or two
ago I went on holiday without putting the half eaten loaf in the freezer.
When we came back two weeks later it was still fine. (I keep bread
wrapped in a plastic bag in the fridge, to the horror of some bread
experts. But it works for me.)

Yup, keeping our home-made bread in a poly bag in the fridge works for us
too.:-)

[Sally Thompson]

Post by Mike

Post by Jim Easterbrook

Post by steve hague

Post by Sam Plusnet
[1] Although a lot of sliced bread seems to have lots of additives to
stop it going stale/mouldy etc.

For some reason, Hovis original wheatgerm seems to keep better than
other bought bread, as well as tasting better.

I'm surprised how well my home made sourdough bread keeps. A year or two
ago I went on holiday without putting the half eaten loaf in the freezer.
When we came back two weeks later it was still fine. (I keep bread
wrapped in a plastic bag in the fridge, to the horror of some bread
experts. But it works for me.)

Yup, keeping our home-made bread in a poly bag in the fridge works for us
too.:-)

And for us. I can't bear sliced bread! If you want it really thinly sliced,
you could always freeze it for a short time before slicing. ISTR this
works.

Happy that I made two large loaves yesterday.

[Paul Herber]

Post by Jim Easterbrook

Post by steve hague

Post by Sam Plusnet
[1] Although a lot of sliced bread seems to have lots of additives to
stop it going stale/mouldy etc.

For some reason, Hovis original wheatgerm seems to keep better than
other bought bread, as well as tasting better.

I'm surprised how well my home made sourdough bread keeps. A year or two

That IS a long time!
;-)

[Mike Ruddock]

Post by Sam Plusnet

Post by Vicky Ayech

Post by Sam Plusnet

Post by J. P. Gilliver (John)
A consequence of that which I hadn't thought of was that in Tescos,
there were notices saying sorry, we can't slice bread. Wouldn't bother
me, as I buy specific pre-sliced Warburton loaves anyway [and there were
no loaves of _any_ type when I went there], but I do know people who
like a fresh loaf.

I've never seen the point of buying an un-sliced loaf and then asking to
have it sliced.
Our local Tesco has a really bad habit of slicing up _all_ the available
'un-sliced' loaves at some point in the mid-afternoon.
Anyone (me) who actually wants their loaf in its natural state is SOL.

The unsliced bread is a differnt kind of loaf. But I like it with
regular slices that Ican't do and if they slice it and re-wrap it it
lasts as long as a wrapped and sliced loaf. But I now get Hovis
anyway, which comes sliced. Except it is not currently avaiable for
tescos delivery :(

Fine, but I like to change the slice thickness to suit... whatever I'm
making at that time.
Sandwiches?  Fairly thin slices make sense.
Bread to go with a meal?  Often doorsteps are much more fun.

One old manual of manners (I forget which one) laid down the law: "There
is nothing more vulgar than thin bread at dinner."

Mike Ruddock

Post by Sam Plusnet
It might last as long as a wrapped sliced loaf[1], but it keeps better
if it's unsliced.  If needed, I take a thin sliver off the cut end and
that exposes fresh bread.
[1] Although a lot of sliced bread seems to have lots of additives to
stop it going stale/mouldy etc.

[Vicky Ayech]

On Sun, 22 Mar 2020 08:52:00 +0000, Mike Ruddock

Post by Mike Ruddock
One old manual of manners (I forget which one) laid down the law: "There
is nothing more vulgar than thin bread at dinner."

Well most other countries have bread as normal on the table during the
meal.

[Serena Blanchflower]

Post by carolet
I've had emails from Sainsbury's and Tesco's to say that they not going
to opening cheese counters, cafes, meat counters, etc, so that the staff
can be diverted onto shelf filling.

They are also the departments most likely to be implicated in spreading
the virus, as the food is neither securely wrapped nor washable. There
may also be closer contact between the staff and customers than in most
areas (other than check-out staff).

[krw]

On 19/3/20 20:00, Tony Smith Gloucestershire wrote; my response is lower

Post by Tony Smith Gloucestershire
Everything we wanted was OK except that the cheese counter was not yet open.

I believe all deli counters are now closed.

[krw]

Post by Vicky Ayech
Letter from CEO saying hour from 7-8
"we will set aside the first hour in every supermarket this Thursday
19th March, for elderly and vulnerable customers. I hope that you can
respect this decision and will work with us as we try our best to help
those that need it the most. If you or an elderly family member,
friend or neighbour would like to shop during this hour, please check
online for your local supermarket opening hours."
Went past at 7.30 and carpark so full some double parked. People
coming out with trolleys piled high. What a lot of elderly and
disabled in the area! I never thought the rest would respect it.

Also only delivering 3 of something is a little stupid when a care home
is trying to feed the inmates.

One rule does not fit all.

[Joe Kerr]

Post by krw

Post by Vicky Ayech
Letter from CEO saying hour from 7-8
"we will set aside the first hour in every supermarket this Thursday
19th March, for elderly and vulnerable customers. I hope that you can
respect this decision and will work with us as we try our best to help
those that need it the most. If you or an elderly family member,
friend or neighbour would like to shop during this hour, please check
online for your local supermarket opening hours."
Went past at 7.30 and carpark so full some double parked. People
coming out with trolleys piled high. What a lot of elderly and
disabled in the area! I never thought the rest would respect it.

Also only delivering 3 of something is a little stupid when a care home
is trying to feed the inmates.
One rule does not fit all.

Yesterday's email from Waitrose said that they would make provision for
care homes.

[steve hague]

Post by Joe Kerr

Post by krw

Post by Vicky Ayech
Letter from CEO saying hour from 7-8
"we will set aside the first hour in every supermarket this Thursday
19th March, for elderly and vulnerable customers. I hope that you can
respect this decision and will work with us as we try our best to help
those that need it the most. If you or an elderly family member,
friend or neighbour would like to shop during this hour, please check
online for your local supermarket opening hours."
Went past at 7.30 and carpark so full some double parked. People
coming out with trolleys piled high. What a lot of elderly and
disabled in the area! I never thought the rest would respect it.

Also only delivering 3 of something is a little stupid when a care
home is trying to feed the inmates.
One rule does not fit all.

Yesterday's email from Waitrose said that they would make provision for
care homes.

How many care homes can afford to buy their food from Waitrose?
Steve

[Joe Kerr]

Post by steve hague

Post by Joe Kerr
Yesterday's email from Waitrose said that they would make provision
for care homes.

How many care homes can afford to buy their food from Waitrose?
Steve

Considering the level of care home fees food is only a small percentage
of their costs and they are currently saving money by cutting out trips,
visiting entertainment, classes, etc.

I find Waitrose cheaper than Sainsbury's for much of what I buy.

[Sam Plusnet]

Post by Joe Kerr
I find Waitrose cheaper than Sainsbury's for much of what I buy.

We use Ocado and they're swapping over from Waitrose stuff to M&S in the
autumn. It will be 'interesting' to see what that does to the cost of a
batch of shopping.

[krw]

Post by Joe Kerr

Post by krw

Post by Vicky Ayech
Letter from CEO saying hour from 7-8
"we will set aside the first hour in every supermarket this Thursday
19th March, for elderly and vulnerable customers. I hope that you can
respect this decision and will work with us as we try our best to help
those that need it the most. If you or an elderly family member,
friend or neighbour would like to shop during this hour, please check
online for your local supermarket opening hours."
Went past at 7.30 and carpark so full some double parked. People
coming out with trolleys piled high. What a lot of elderly and
disabled in the area! I never thought the rest would respect it.

Also only delivering 3 of something is a little stupid when a care
home is trying to feed the inmates.
One rule does not fit all.

Yesterday's email from Waitrose said that they would make provision for
care homes.

At least one of the others did not. Local news item.